Mute for musical stringed instruments



Jan. 19,4926.

I A. D. GROVER MUTE FOR MUSICALSTRINGED INSTRUMENTS Filed 001:. 25, 1924ATTORNiV Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT D. GROVER, 0F LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK.

MUTE FOR MUSICAL STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed October 25, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT D. Gnovnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Long Island City, county of Queens, State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in a Mute for Musical StringedInstruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mutes for stringed musicalinstruments. I

The objects of my invention are to provide a mute of the characterhereinafter described, which is ver Y effective in operation,inexpensive to manufacture and which may be easily and almostinstantaneously moved by the player from one position to another withoutremoving the device from the strings.

Detachable mutes have already been used for the purpose described but ithas been found that this type of mute is easily mislaid and lost, whilein the present invention the mute is designed to become a permanent partof the instrument and therefore is always at hand.

The invention is illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawingin which Figure 1 is a plan view of a banjo showing my improved mute inmuted position on the strings, the nonmuted position being illustratedin dotted lines; Figure 2 is a substantially longitudinal sectional Viewtaken on lines 22 of Figure l the deflection of the strings from theirnormal position being greatly exaggerated; Figure 3 is a detail planview of my improved mute; Figure 1 is an end view of the same; Figure 5,is an edge view of the mute; and Figure 6, is a bottom plan view of thesame.

Referring to the drawings, 10 denotes the head portion of a banjo havingthe usual rim 11, stretched head 12, and superposed strings 13 supportedby the bridge piece, 14:.

My improved mute comprises an integral flat metal member 15 having aforward transverse shorter arm 16 and a longer parallel arm 17 spacedfrom the first and connected thereto by a transversely disposed portion18. The portion 18 projects from Serial No. 745,857.

the arms substantially midway of their length so that the general designof the mute is that of the letter H with one parallel arm shorter thanthe other.

The shorter arm or head 16 is provided with a groove 19 throughout itsunder surface and disposed parallel to the edge of the arm, the purposeof the groove being to receive the upper edge of the bridge piece 14 asclearly illustrated in Figure 2. The arm 16 is further, slightly concavethroughout its length so as to bring the groove 19 on the crown of thearm along its under surface. The longer arm 17 of the mute is providedwith oppositely disposed trans verse string grooves 20 arranged in pairsat l opposite sides of the connecting piece 18.

The operation of the mute is as follows: In placing the device on theinstrument the projecting portions of the longer arm 17 are insertedunder the outer strings and over the inner strings so as to positioneach string, in one of the grooves 20, either above or below the mute.The head portion 16 then rests upon the apex of the bridge piece 1 1above the strings 13. This position of the mute causes the outer stringsto be strained upward and the inner strings downward, whereby the head16 exerts a downward pressure on the strings and on the bridge piece 12,i. e. when in muted position or in close proximity to the bridge piece.

While I have illustrated the present invention used in connect-ion withbanjos it will be clear that it may be applied to violins or otherstringed instruments with equal facility.

What I claim is A mute for stringed musical instruments consisting of anintegral structure comprising a string engaging arm having trans versealternating string receiving grooves in its upper and lower faces, abridge engaging arm having an elongated bridge receiving groove in itslower face, and an intermediate member at right angles to and in- Hterconnecting said arms.

In testnnony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALBERT D. GROVER.

